Ximena Sariñana and Leo Rizzi

Sarińana’s interest in music was initially sparked after attending an Ella Fitzgerald concert and later grew up listening to the likes of Paul Simon and Tracy Chapman. After undertaking singing lessons with Ricardo Sánchez, the singer had piano lessons with Hanna Coit and acted in the film “Hasta Morir” in 1994, which her father Feranando Sarińana produced.

Sarińana appeared in a number of films and TV dramas towards the end of the ‘90s and into the new millennium including “Maria Isabel”, “Gotita de amor”, El Seguno Aire” and Valetina in Niñas Mal”, all of which were directed by her father and written by her mother, Carolina Rivera. In February 2008 Sarińana’s debut album “Mediocre” was issued by Warner Music. The album has been certified platinum in Mexico, aided by the singles “Vidas paralelas”, “Normal” and “No Vuelvo Mas”, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.

In 2009, the singer collaborated with Jason Mraz on a Spanish version of his song “Lucky” , and later recorded a duet “Oceanside” with singer-songwriter Alex Wong. Sarińana’s eponymous sophomore album was released in 2011, led by the single “Different” and later “Shine Down”. The album, consisting of all English-language songs bar one, reached No. 16 in the Mexican Album chart.

In 2014 the singer became the judge on Mexico tiene talento, the Mexican version of America’s Got Talent and appeared in the short film “Gonzalo” alongside Alfonso Herrera. Subsequently, Sarińana released the single “Sin Ti No Puedo Estar Marl” ahead of her third full-length album “No Todo lo Puedes Dar” released in November 2014.